Inhalation of potentially lethal or incapacitating aerosols presents a real and present danger to numerous individuals. Whether deliberately released in a terroristic venue or through a passive incident, the resulting circumstances can be catastrophic. Inhaling aerosols containing lethal opioids, biological agents, or irradiated particles can cause irreparable harm or death.
Illicit opioids can commonly be fine powders which when disturbed, move through the air as dust-like particles. This lethal dust is easily inhaled. First interactors, such as law enforcement personnel, are often subjected to a serious risk of inadvertently inhaling harmful substances, such as fentanyl, when working to secure a contaminated area. These unintentional fentanyl overdoses can be life-threatening events. Similar unintentional overdoses may occur with other harmful substances, such as methamphetamine.
Law enforcement personnel are at risk of secondary exposure through inhalation of life-threatening aerosols. Secondary exposure can occur during drug raids and normal law enforcement activities. Lethal aerosols include but are not limited to fentanyl, carfentanil, heroin, anthrax, ricin, unknown powders, and mass casualty agents. Law enforcement personnel are at increased risk of secondary exposure to potentially lethal opioids through inhalation, for instance when administering opioid reversing drugs to persons who have overdosed on an opioid drug. To administer the opioid reversing drug, law enforcement officers are in close proximity to the overdosed patient, placing them at risk of secondary exposure to the same opioids.
Fire and emergency medical personnel in the field such as paramedics, medical transport personnel, and emergency medical technicians are at increased risk of secondary exposure to potentially lethal opioids through inhalation, such as when administering opioid reversing drugs to persons who have overdosed on an opioid drug. To administer the opioid reversing drug, these personnel are in close proximity to the overdosed patient, placing them at risk of secondary exposure to the same opioids.
The Opioid Commission Report states that United States Postal Service, FedEx, UPS, and additional packaging handling couriers unwittingly transport and deliver packages containing lethal opioids and possible mass casualty agents. These packages may not be commercially sealed and may be at risk of leaking their contents. Package carriers are at risk of secondary exposure to potentially lethal opioids and mass casualty agents through inhalation.
The Centers for Disease Control has identified fentanyl and other opioids as potential mass casualty agents, for instance when disposed in a commercial aircraft. Airline staff and passengers are at risk of direct exposure to these opioids and other mass casualty agents through inhalation of aerosols.
Transportation security agents are at risk of secondary exposure to potentially deadly opioids, mass casualty agents, and harmful unknown white powders through inhalation of aerosols of these substances.
Potentially deadly opioids are found in schools throughout the United States and abroad daily. School faculty members, nurses, and resource officers are placed at risk of secondary exposure to these potentially deadly opioids by inhalation.
Border patrol agents routinely search vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, boats, and planes. Fentanyl and other deadly opioids are transported into the United States utilizing these vehicles. Border patrol agents are at risk of secondary exposure when searching these vehicles through inhalation of opioid aerosols.
Emergency room nurses and staff are at risk of secondary exposure to potentially deadly opioids when treating overdosed patients through inhalation of opioid aerosols. Due to the close proximity of their work with these patients, there is an increased risk of harmful or deadly secondary exposure.
Corrections officers are at increased risk of secondary exposure to opioid aerosols in the course of their duties at correctional facilities. When processing prisoners, opioid aerosols may be transferred from the prisoner to the corrections officers and inhaled, causing potentially deadly secondary exposure.
Mass transit facilities and conduits have been identified as a risk area in the event of a deadly or harmful aerosol dispersal. These facilities include subways, trains, planes, buses, passenger ships, and metro transportation systems. Whether by accident or design, harmful aerosols including opioids or mass casualty agents may be inhaled by a large quantity of people, causing exposure which may lead to incapacitation or death.
Military personnel have diverse missions within the country and abroad, which may place them at risk of secondary exposure to harmful or deadly aerosols. These aerosols are commonly inhaled, causing symptoms which may lead to death or incapacitation.
Due to the ongoing threat of terrorism utilizing nuclear or biological components, military and special operations personnel are at risk of exposure to lethal or incapacitating agents in the form of aerosols. Aerosols of a biological nature or irradiated aerosols place military personnel and special operations teams at risk of exposure.
Protective services including Secret Service, sheriff departments, FBI, CIA, U.S. Marshals, Capitol police, and commercial protective services are aware of the use of white powders to incapacitate or kill political figures and persons of notoriety. These white powders containing lethal components may be inhaled as aerosols, exposing the individual to a deadly mix. The target and protective services personnel are at risk of exposure to these debilitating agents through inhalation.
To prevent exposure, there is a need in the art for a way to contain or encapsulate potentially deadly aerosols and powders. There is a need in the art for methods and devices which prevent the inhalation and cross contamination of, or secondary exposure to, harmful substances. It would be especially advantageous to provide a way of preventing accidental inhalation of these harmful substances by individuals who work in positions that may require exposure to them.